for many other states. he was briefed on the crisis in the white house situation room earlier today. we're showing you a photo there. and then he paid a surprise visit to a red cross office here in washington, where he ordered a streamlined federal response. >> my instructions to the federal agency has been, do not figure out why we can't do something. i want you to figure out how we do something. i want you to cut through red tape, i want you to cut through bureaucracy. there's no excuse for inaction at this point. i want every agency to lean forward, and to make sure that we are getting the resources where they need, where they're needed, as quickly as possible. so i want to repeat, my message to the federal government, no bureaucracy, no red tape, get resources where they're needed, as fast as as possible, as hard as possible, and for the duration. >> the white house says the president has canceled campaign events tomorrow and will instead travel to new jersey to see the disaster firsthand. wolf? >> mitt